Exhaust chute warmer for snow removal vehicle



EXHAUST CHU'I'E WARMER FOR SNOW REMOVAL VEHICLE Filed Aug. 24. 1967 H.E. KIERNAN Sept. 9, 1,969

2 Sheets-She et 1 INVENTOR HEA A) E. K/ERM/V Sept 9, 1969 H. E. KIERNANEXHAUST CHUTE WARNER FOR SNOW REMOVAL VEHICLE Filed Aug. 24. 1967 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR #:Mer E. K/ER/VA/V ATTORNEYS United StatesPatent 3,465,455 EXHAUST CHUTE WARMER FOR SNOW REMOVAL VEHICLE Henry E.Kiernan, 136 W. Pulaski Road, Huntington Station, N.Y. 11746 Filed Aug.24, 1967, Ser. No. 663,129 Int. Cl. E0111 /08, 5 04 US. C]. 37-12 6Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Background of the invention Thisinvention relates to an improvement for a snow removal vehicle of thetype described in my prior United States Patent No. 3,222,802, .issuedDec. 14, 1965.

Snow removal vehicles of present design encounter problems in that thesnow tends to collect and freeze in the internal passage of the outletduct on the snowblower. This results in the clogging of the passagewhich inhibits and occasionally completely blocks the transfer of thesnow therethrough. The problem is particularly evident when theequipment is permitted to stand idle after use, and during start andstop operations. During such non-use the snow remaining in the passagetends to quickly freeze to the sides thereof preventing the freedischarge of the snow upon restarting.

Summary of the invention In a broad sense this invention relates to aself-propelled vehicle of the type on which a snow discharge apparatusor snowblower is mounted. More particularly, the invention contemplatespassing the warm exhaust gases from the engine of the vehicle to ajacket which surrounds the outlet duct, such that the duct is warmed toprevent a collection of ice and snow therein. The difficulties anddisadvantages heretofore encountered with snow removal equipment arethereby obviated.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an apparatus forheating the outlet duct of the snowblower which is adapted for use witha rotatably adjustable outlet duct of the type described in my priorpatent.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will readily cometo mind as the following description is developed.

Brief description of the drawings Referring to the drawings;

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a snow removal vehicle of the subjectinvention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the snowblower outlet duct and heatingapparatus;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the outlet duct and heatingapparatus taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the outlet duct andheating apparatus taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

Description of the preferred embodiment A snow removal vehicle of thesubject invention is shown generally in FIG. 1 at 10. For a disclosureof the particular structural details of the vehicle, reference should bemade to my prior patent. Suffice it to say for purposes of thisinvention that the vehicle includes an implement ice mounting structureat the forward end, a prime mover consisting of an internal combustionengine, a transmission connected from the engine to the forward wheelsfor propelling the vehice, and power take-off means connected to theengine and adapted to drive an implement such as the snowblower 11. Thesnowblower 11 comprises a supporting structure or housing 12, and twoparallel angers 13 and 14 which are so designed that upon rotation thesnow is moved toward the center of the housing. A fan assembly 15 iscentered rearwardly of the two augers and the housing, and includes aspider or rotor 16 and a fan housing 17 which is rotatably adjustableabout the axis of the rotor as shown in FIG. 2. The outlet duct 18 ofthe fan housing is designed and constructed in a manner to be alwaystangent to the circumference of the circle formed by the rotor whenrotating, whereby the snow ejected by the rotor is propelledtherethrough.

Referring particularly to the heating apparatus as seen in FIGS. 3 and4, a jacket 19 is positioned circumferentially around the outlet duct 18and is secured thereto by means of the shoulder 20. While the outletduct 18 and jacket 19 are illustrated as being rectangular in crosssection, they could of course be round, hexagonal or any other shape.The shoulder is secured to the outlet duct and the jacket in anysuitable manner, such as by welding, and forms a closed end at thebottom of the jacket. Weep holes (not shown) may be provided in theshoulder 20 to permit drainage of the condensation.

An important feature of the invention is the fact that the heatingapparatus is rotatably adjustable along with the outlet duct 18 as bestseen in FIGURE 2. In the illustrated embodiment, this object isaccomplished by the universal telescopic tubular connection 21 whichleads from the exhaust of the engine on the self-propelled vehicle to aninlet opening 22 which is formed at the bottom end of the jacketadjacent the shoulder 20. However, as an alternative to the connection21, a flexible metal hose or other tubing could be utilized.

The universal connection 21 comprises a first rotatably adjustable orswivel elbow 23 which is telescopically connected to a second rotatablyadjustable or swivel elbow 24. The rotatable end of the first swivelelbow 23 is connected to the engine exhaust by a suitable means which isnot shown, and the rotatable end of the second swivel elbow 24 isconnected to the jacket 19 at the inlet opening 22. A high temperatureseal 25 is provided at the telescopic connection of the two elbows toprevent the escape of the exhaust gases. As will be apparent, theconnection 21 directs the warm exhaust gases from the engine to thebottom of the jacket 19 where they pass over a substantial length of theoutlet duct 18 before being discharged at 26.

It should be understood that while I have illustrated by drawings andspecification a preferred embodiment of my invention, my inventionshould not be limited thereby except within the scope of the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. A self-propelled snow removal vehicle comprising:

a self-propelled wheeled vehicle including an implement mountingstructure at one end, a prime mover, power transmission means connectedfrom the prime mover to the wheels for propelling said vehicle, andpower take-off means connected to said prime mover, snowblower attachedto said implement mounting structure and including a supportingstructure, at least one helical auger rotatably mounted on saidsupporting structure, a rotor having projecting blades for rotationabout an axis extending at right angles to said helical auger, drivemeans connected from said power take-oft means on said prime mover tosaid helical auger and said rotor, and snow discharge means including acylindrical housing disposed around said rotor and having an outlet ductextending outwardly therefrom,

and an apparatus for heating said outlet duct including a jacketcircumferentially surrounding a substantial portion of the outlet duct,one end of said jacket being closed about said outlet duct with a singleinlet opening therethrough at the closed end, and a tubular connectionleading from the exhaust of said prime mover to said inlet opening suchthat the warm exhaust gases enter said jacket through said inlet openingand pass around and warm said outlet duct.

2. A self-propelled snow removal vehicle as set forth in claim 1 whereinsaid cylindrical housing and said outlet duct are pivotally mounted forrotary adjustment about the axis of said rotor, and said tubularconnection comprises a flexible hose such that the apparatus for heatingsaid outlet duct is also pivotally mounted for rotary adjustment aboutthe axis of said rotor.

3. A self-propelled snow removal vehicle as set forth in claim 1 whereinsaid cylindrical housing and said outlet duct are pivotally mounted forrotary adjustment about the axis of said rotor, and said tubularconnection comprises a first swivel elbow and a second swivel elbowtelescopically connected thereto, such that the apparatus for heatingsaid outlet duct is also pivotally mounted for rotary adjustment aboutthe axis of said rotor.

4. An apparatus for heating a rotatably adjustable outlet duct of asnowblower to prevent freezing and caking of the snow thereincomprising:

a prime mover capable of producing warm exhaust gases,

a jacket circumferentially surrounding a substantial portion of theoutlet duct, one end of said jacket being closed about said outlet ductand the other end being open,

an inlet opening formed in said jacket adjacent said closed end,

a universal telescopic tubular connection directing said warm exhaustgases to said inlet opening and including a first swivel elbow, and asecond swivel elbow telescopically connected thereto such that said warmgases entering said first elbow pass through said second swivel elbowinto said inlet opening where they pass around said outlet duct andexhaust through the open end of said jacket.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein the first swivel elbow isconnected at one end to the exhaust of said prime mover, the secondswivel elbow is connected at one end to the jacket at said inletopening, and the free ends of said first and second swivel elbows aretelescopically interconnected.

6. In an apparatus for the removal of snow including a snowblower havingan outlet duct for directing the discharged snow and an internalcombustion engine for powering the snowblower, the improvement thereincomprismg:

a jacket surrounding said outlet duct immediately adjacent saidsnowblower and extending for a substantial portion of the length of saidduct, one end of said jacket being closed about said outlet duct and theopposite end being open, an inlet opening through said jacket adjacentthe closed end, and

a tubular connection leading from the exhaust of said internalcombustion engine to said inlet opening such that the warm exhaust gasesare directed into said jacket through said inlet opening, pass aroundsaid outlet duct, and exhaust through said open end of said jacket,whereby said outlet duct is heated to thereby prevent freezing andcollection of the snow therein.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 980,564 1/1911 Riordan 37-121,388,027 8/1921 Connolly 126-3435 1,560,612 11/1925 Sims 37-122,062,509 12/ 1936 Francisco et al. -51 2,474,840 7/ 1949 Greer.2,515,341 7/1950 Giguere 37-16 3,011,493 12/1961 Zieba 37-12 3,155,31811/1964 Kirkham 165-51 ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner E. H.EICKHOLT, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

